Chicken with ricotta cheese was one of my favorite recipes growing up. With three brothers and an Italian father, I was constantly surrounded by good food. Here’s a great new twist on an old favorite. And these tasty, cheesy subs are just waiting to be gobbled up. So gather some feathery friends and give your favorite sub a whole new taste sensation!
Creamy Chicken, Mushroom & Ricotta Pasta
The secret to this velvety pasta recipe without cream is ricotta cheese. Thanks to some pasta cooking water, it melts down into a rich, creamy sauce along with the Parmesan. Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest results because pre-grated cheese frequently contains cellulose, which can hinder melting.
Recipe Summary
Active:
30 mins
Total:
30 mins
Servings:
4
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist
- 8 ounces whole-wheat cavatappi or penne
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 8 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme and/or sage, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Step 1: Start the water boiling in a big pot. As directed on the package, cook the pasta. After draining, save 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Step 2 Over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of each salt and pepper over the chicken before adding. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring periodically, until thoroughly cooked. Onto a plate, transfer the chicken.
- Step 3Add 1 tablespoon more of the oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms and simmer, stirring once, for 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, along with the herbs, and simmer, stirring, for about a minute, until aromatic. Cook for one minute, scraping away any browned parts, then adding the wine and lemon juice. Medium-low heat should be used.
- Step 4Add 1/2 cup of the conserved cooking water to the pan along with the ricotta and Parmesan that have been combined in a small bowl. till creamy, stir. If necessary, add extra water to dilute the sauce before adding the pasta and tossing to combine. Chicken and spinach are combined. If preferred, top with additional Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size:
1 1/2 cups
Per Serving:
578 calories; protein 45g; carbohydrates 53g; dietary fiber 7g; sugars 3g; fat 20g; saturated fat 7g; cholesterol 95mg; sodium 729mg; potassium 832mg.
BACON RICOTTA STUFFED CHICKEN
Bacon. Do you still have your focus? Three words: bacon. Raise your hand if you adore bacon more than anything! Yes, it is a luxury. Yes, it makes you fat and is unhealthy. Yes, I still adore it and will continue to eat it occasionally. So I reached for some amazing, seductive bacon when I thought of my Stuffed Chicken Breast Series. This bacon ricotta stuffed chicken is easy to prepare and adds much-needed flavor to bland, stale boneless chicken breasts.
THE STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST SERIES: AN EASY, GOURMET TREAT
I’d want to welcome you to my Stuffed Chicken Breast Series, though, before I go any further. Yes, I’m making stuffed chicken breast dishes my main focus. I posted a recipe for my mom’s Easy Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu a few months ago, and I’ve always enjoyed it. really great. I want to now devote some time and focus to other stuffed chicken breast recipes and methods.
There are various approaches, for instance. Butterfly, stuff, and fold is the first, just like my cordon bleu. The alternative is to form a pocket by slicing the top of the breast down, stuffing crumpled tin foil inside, searing it, and then stuffing the pocket with the filling. If the filling is creamier, it seems like this will work. Finally, there is the rolling technique, which involves butterflying the chicken breast, pounding it thin, spreading your filling over it, and then rolling the breast. Your filler should lay flat and not be bulky for this kind of method. There are so many intriguing mixtures and techniques to explore! Yes, there are many more ways to fill a boneless chicken breast besides those mentioned above. These are merely a starting point!
BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST IS SO BORING
Chicken breasts without bones are generally monotonous. It has little flavor and is intolerant of being overcooked. It will be boring and terrible. We must breathe fresh life into the boneless chicken breast! a new persona! For this reason, it must be stuffed with bacon, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, and shallots. We must impart some flavor to it. Why not make it taste just like everything you love? In my opinion, ricotta and bacon make a great combination and are the ideal cure for dull white flesh chicken.
In the upcoming weeks, I’ll keep providing more recipes for stuffed chicken. I’m determined to transform boring white flesh chicken into something delicious! I’ll be there for you every step of the way if you decide to prepare this scrumptious chicken.
Bacon Ricotta Stuffed Chicken
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 portions 1x
Want to elevate a boring, old boneless breast of chicken? Try filling it with bacon, ricotta, parmesan garlic and shallots. You’ve got to try this bacon ricotta stuffed chicken! Amazing!
INGREDIENTS
UNITS USMSCALE1X2X3X
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika (regular or smoked)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional garnish)
For the filling
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 8 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
- 1 heaping tablespoon shallot, finely diced
- 1-2 roasted red peppers (I used jarred)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
NOTE: YOU WILL NEED ALUMINUM FOIL FOR THIS RECIPE
INSTRUCTIONS
- Once it has cooled, cut eight strips of cooked bacon into small pieces.
- Slice the shallot and garlic very finely. Olive oil should be used to cook both until fragrant and the onions are just beginning to turn transparent. This process ought to take a few minutes.
- Put the parmesan cheese in a bowl after shredding it. Italian spice, the garlic/shallot mixture, the chopped bacon bits, and the ricotta cheese should all be added. Mix everything thoroughly until mixed.
- Chicken preparation. Create a large pocket for the bacon ricotta filling by making a cut on the top of the chicken breast and then cutting into each side of the cut. This is well demonstrated in my video. For each of the chicken breasts, repeat the procedure. Take care not to cause a hole in the bird by cutting through it.
- Tin foil sheets should be crumpled and stuffed into the chicken breast’s pockets. To make a good crust, the chicken needs to be seared first, but we don’t want the pocket to contract or close during that procedure. So, we’ll shove foil into the pocket.
- Once all of your chicken breasts have been filled, season with paprika, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Here, you can use either plain or smoked paprika. On medium heat, warm the olive oil in the pan. I seared the chicken in an oven-safe skillet (few dishes to wash!) and then used the same pan to finish cooking them in the oven. Place the chicken breasts, seasoning side down, in the pan (the tin foil should be face down). For two to three minutes on each side, sear the chicken. Since the bacon and parmesan cheese already contain salt, I decided that seasoning the other side of the chicken wasn’t essential.
- Remove the chicken from the pan once it has done searing and place it on a chopping board or sheet pan. Be careful when removing the tin foil from the chicken pockets since the chicken will be hot. The roasted red peppers should be sliced into strips and placed at the bottom of the pocket after the foil has been removed. Next, put the bacon ricotta mixture into the chicken pockets, filling each one to the brim.
- Return the stuffed chicken to the pan you were using (if it is oven-safe), and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees in the preheated oven. Use a baking dish if you don’t have an oven-safe pan. It should be fully cooked, with no pink remaining in the center. Before eating, chicken should be at least 165 degrees inside.
- If you’re using parsley as a garnish, you can chop it while the chicken cooks. I apologize for forgetting to record myself cutting the parsley. However, now is an excellent time to cut it if you plan to use it. J
- Before serving, take the food out of the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes. Add fresh shredded parmesan cheese and parsley as a garnish.
Enjoy!
NOTES
- To save time, feel free to prepare the bacon the day before. Recently, the chicken breasts at the store have gotten really big. I referred to this dish as 4-6 portions because, depending on whether you serve it with rice, vegetables, or a salad, one person may only need half of one of the chicken breasts.
- The best way to reheat chicken is to place it in a covered pan and heat it on low for 7 to 10 minutes. Yes, you can microwave it as well, but a pan is preferable for reheating.
- BONUS: This can be frozen! I put it to the test, and the outcome shocked me. I wrapped it in plastic wrap and put it in a plastic container with a lid. A week later, I defrosted it overnight in the fridge before reheating it in a pan as previously mentioned. It actually had the exact same flavor.